The progress I’ve made in familiarizing myself with ProTools and mastering my own tracks since my last blog post (published a few weeks ago) has been a revelation. While I have done some more video review and reading about ProTools tips and tricks, recording and mixing songs with Cathy Fink, my long-time music mentor and friend, has been the most helpful exercise in my learning process this summer. This past week I spent two days at Cathy’s house in Silver Spring, Maryland immersed in ProTools and the software’s many intricacies. During this time, Cathy taught me everything from basic practical tips (how to change the tempo of a click track), to keyboard shortcuts and tricks (shortcuts with the “option” key), to advanced mixing and physical recording strategies that have made working with ProTools not only manageable, but fun. Taking a rough draft of one of my original songs, “Wall Street Flower,” and turning it into a detailed piece was nothing short of an educational journey. From recording all the way through to the mixing process, Cathy coaxed me into seeing the many benefits of a more complicated recording software. A general list of things she assisted me with can be found below, with more concrete examples in parentheses. [Read more…]